Kulmara
Kulmara Lawful Good Large Town (Central) Corruption 0; Crime +2; Economy +1; Law -1; Lore -4; Society +5 Qualities Magically Attuned, Strategic Location, Timid Citizens Danger 5 Government Council Population 3,600 (2,400 Kitsune, 1300 human, 100 other) Notable NPCs Deisha Sannal TN Kitsune Rogue 1 / Fey Sorcerer 4 / Arcane Trickster 10 Malyena Tiris LG Female Kitsune Paladin 12 Glenda Eredev LG Female Human Wizard 11 Urorich Blinn CG Male Kitsune Oracle 12 Elaglee Tiris CG Female Kitsune Summoner 10 Tohum Broadbend NG Male Human Bard 7 Marketplace Base Value 2600 gp; Purchase Limit 12000 gp; Spellcasting 7th Minor Items 3d4; Medium Items 2d4; Major Items 1d4 Local legend has it that Kulmara simply appeared out of nowhere. One day there was an empty meadow, the next there was a bustling town home to hundreds of people. The locals are quick to dismiss this a nonsensical fairy tale. The town has been there as long as anyone can remember, and the story is simply a product of rampant imagination and the fact that some local mapmaker decades ago omitted the town. Of course, the town really did magically appear one day and the locals mostly know this. However, it's not quite a lie that this is a "fairy tale", as the kitsune who founded Kulmara were thrust into these unknown and strange lands by capricious fey. The deal their ancestors brokered was both salvation and a curse. They escaped violence and war, but will never again return to their former homelands. From the new beginnings stemming from Kulmara, they aspired to keep a more cautious existence. Over the generations, the kitsune have carefully concealed their presence here in these lands, and the fact that Kulmara is something of a refuge for their kin. Those few humans who happen into this knowledge are carefully convinced to keep this knowledge secret. The majority of the kitsune population in the region does not actually live in Kulmara, but know they can always return here if they need to "start again". The kitsune with their magic have in turn made the surrounding towns more prosperous, and a vibrant trade in magical items has emerged in the region over the last century. Kulmara is now a common stopover for merchant caravans interested in this kind of fare, which has been both a blessing to the town's economy and a major hassle for the kitsune who desperately want to keep their presence a secret. The kitsune here are especially cautious and tight-lipped, even as they try to be friendly. One of the tools that the town employs is the annual festival of flowers. This week-long party draws people from the surrounding countryside to enjoy the revelry and the unusual culture of Kulmara. When the festival ends the town uses it as an excuse to convince "vagrants" that it's time for them to go home. This has kept the human population of Kulmara in check, as in the weeks after the festival anyone without family connections in Kulmara will be heavily encouraged to leave. The town is governed by a council of five members. Each year, one of the seats on the council faces election, giving each council member a five year term. These elections are themselves fairly closed and private affairs, with each of the nineteen prominent local families getting one vote each. Due to the way the town charter is written and the town's rather strange origin, most of these families are kitsune. Humans have come and settled in Kulmara over the years, and four families have even been granted "official" status giving them a vote in these elections, but the way the system is set up the kitsune houses effectively decide these elections among themselves. Humans only serve on the council when the kitsune houses allow it... which is surprisingly often, although there is seldom more than one human at a time. The current council is comprised of four kitsune and one human. The human is Tohum Broadbend, a popular and charismatic young man whose commitment to the community is beyond reproach, which has earned him the respect of the kitsune houses and allowed him to successfully take a seat on the council. Although he suspects there is some strange connection between many of the local families, and is aware that some kitsune live in the town in the guise of humans, he is as yet unaware of the town's true nature. The council meets once per month to discuss local issues, and is also act as judges for any crimes committed. The true power-brokers in town have little interest in the council. While they respect its ruling authority, they consider the day-to-day governance of a small town to be beneath their interests. Deisha Sannal is a kitsune with an unusually long lifespan, and is the only one who still remembers their ancestral homeland. She is jaded and dedicated to maintaining the secret enclave for as long as her unnaturally-extended lifespan holds out for... and given the nature of fey magic, that could happen at any moment without warning. The Tiris family is the most powerul for the kitsune houses, as is particularly notable for producing adventurers who have traveled the lands. Glenda Eredev is one of the few humans aware of the truth of the town. She is too powerful a wizard to intimidate or control, but has fortunately proved to be a valuable ally to the kitsune houses. Category:Location Category:Settlement Category:Central Category:Large town Category:Made by Dasrak